Search soapcentral.com

Following up on her decision to poke around the darkroom, Brooke arrived at Tempo hoping to find more incriminating evidence on Jim. She opened his desk drawer and found several pictures of her and her children. While it seemed somewhat normal for Jim to have pictures of his future bride and stepchildren, seeing the photos sent a wave of shivers up Brooke's spine. Over on the bulletin board, Jim also had several pictures of Brooke plastered on the wall. Jim's obvious attempt to look infatuated infuriated Brooke causing her to snatch one of the photos off of the wall. Behind the photo was an unmarked manila envelope. Brooke opened it and her face dropped.

Liza's outburst enraged the presiding judge. She rolled her eyes and looked up at the ceiling before flashing a cold stare at Liza. The judge previously made several inappropriate remarks about Liza's tardiness and now questioned Liza's decision to call off the petition for divorce. She reminded Liza that she should discuss all legal maneuvers with her legal counsel. Adam's attorney, Mr. Thornton, saw Liza's posturing as a way to buy more time to concoct a plan to get more money from his client. That wasn't the case and Liza made sure that everyone knew it. Her voice softened and resembled that of a child's pleading for a toy. She insisted that she wasn't devising a scheme---she just wanted to honor her wedding vows and remain Adam's partner. Belinda asked for a recess, something that judge was willing to grant her. As soon as court recessed, Liza walked over to Adam and asked to speak to him in private.

While most everyone was glad to see that Adam and Liza were moving closer to patching up their problems there was one notable exception. Beads of sweat formed on Marian's brow as she paced nervously around the courtroom. Opal told Marian that soon everything would return to normal. Normal wasn't the way Marian wanted to go. She reminded Opal about her wild night of passion with "Adam" and how she yearns to be with him again. Marian's vivid detail sent Opal into meltdown! She fanned herself, but decided that she needed to splash some cold water on her face to cool down. While Opal was in the restroom, Stuart arrived at the courthouse and asked Marian if he'd missed anything. Marian wanted nothing to do with "simple Stuart" and tried to brush him off. She watched Stuart as he flocked around her. She asked him if he wanted something. Stuart nodded and replied that he needed to speak to her. Marian was uninterested and told Stuart that on any other day she'd be happy to speak to him---but today she didn't have the time. Marian, who'd given up smoking many moons ago, found an old, stale, foil-wrapped cigarette in the bottom on her purse. She wanted to light up, but Stuart wouldn't let her jeopardize her health. Frustrated, Marian stomped off without letting Stuart tell her what he'd wanted say. Marian was long gone, but Stuart continued speaking, saying "I wanted to tell you I'm sorry."

Sequestered in an empty jury room, Liza prepared to tell Adam about Dr. Clader's findings. Adam continued grumbling about Liza's "sudden epiphany" up until the time she blurted out her news. "Doctors make mistakes," Liza said softly. Considering that the albatross had finally been removed from around his neck, Adam should've been happier. No, Adam's cost-cutting measures had not killed his unborn child, but it was equally frustrating to know that a microscopic organism had. Now came time for Liza's mea culpa. Liza apologized profusely for having blamed Adam for the death of her child. She knew that Adam had beaten himself up for months over the loss of his daughter and that he might be slow to accept her apology, but she never expected him to rebuff her heartfelt apology. Adam claimed that he didn't know if he could trust Liza in the wake of what she'd done to Stuart. Liza tried to explain the Stuart-Marian fiasco, but she didn't want to compromise the confidential nature of Allie and Jake's sting. She also denied having any knowledge about the "mystery woman" who'd been haunting him. Liza insisted that Adam had to look to his heart to find a reason to believe her. Adam put his thumb and forefinger to the corners of her eyes and exhaled deeply. He managed to fight back the tears, but not his rage. He told Liza that his heart sprang back to life when Liza entered the courtroom and announced that she wanted to halt the proceedings. The joy lasted for only a few moments. Adam now questioned if there was any future left in the cards for him and his wife. Liza kneeled in front of Adam with tears streaming down her cheek and assured Adam that they did, in fact, have a future together. Adam rose to his feet and grabbed Liza's forearm. He forcefully yanked her to her feet and applauded her convincing performance. Liza couldn't believe that Adam that she was pretending to be sincere and watched as Adam walked out of her.

Edmund awoke and found himself handcuffed to a metal grating in what looked like a storm sewer. A shadow bobbed up and down in an adjoining concrete tube. A few seconds later the shadow's source, Jim, entered the chamber. Edmund ordered Jim to free him, but Jim wasn't about to let him walk. "I'd really like to shake your hand," Jim grinned as he watched Edmund make a pathetic attempt to yank himself free. Jim told Edmund that he knows all about his secret alliance with Brooke to uncover dirt on him. Not wanting to endanger Brooke, Edmund insisted that Brooke was not in on his plans. In essence, he claimed that he was working alone. Jim didn't fully believe Edmund nor did he fully discount his claims. Jim stated that Edmund's quick acceptance of the offer to be Best Man was his give away. Had Edmund not been so willing to make peace, Jim might not have gotten suspicious. Edmund vowed to bring Jim down, but citing Shakespeare, Jim noted that "evil not only exists... it prevails." Jim revealed that he once accepted a collection of rare books as payment for drugs. Edmund tried to thrust his knee into Jim's groin, but he failed to connect. Jim sneered as he leaned into Edmund's face. He told Edmund that he should look on the bright side; He's not being held captive, he's just a few hours away from being reunited with his dead wife. Edmund's witty laugh-in-the-face-of-danger attitude quickly took a back seat. He demanded to know why Jim had killed Maria. Jim shrugged his shoulders and explained that he hadn't planned on killing Maria. Maria's death was "unfortunate," Jim said indifferently. He added that he held nothing against Maria and was sorry that she was dead. He also explained that he wasn't on a suicide mission and that the explosives went off accidentally. Edmund asked Jim why he'd chosen to latch onto Brooke, the woman who Jim blamed for Maria's death. Had Jim not seen Brooke in New York, he wouldn't have gotten on the plane, the explosives wouldn't have gone off, and Maria would still be alive. At least that's how Jim saw it. Another factor in Jim's decision to travel to Pine Valley was Laura Kirk. Jim figured that "if a dumb kid like her can end up smelling like a rose then a smart guy like me oughta own the whole damn greenhouse." In attempt to rile his captor, Edmund let slip a little comment that let Jim know that he knew about his dabbling in child pornography. Jim bit his lip and asked Edmund to listen to the noise in the distance. The noise, he said, was the sound of waves crashing against the beach. Edmund's prison wasn't all that far from the crash site---or the ocean. The locals told Jim that when the tide comes in, the chamber is completely flooded with seawater. Houdini could hold his breath for five minutes, Jim noted. How long could Edmund?

Adam returned to the courtroom and was immediately surrounded by Belinda, Marian, and his attorney. For various reasons, that all wanted to know what was going on. Adam shushed them all away. Allie stumbled into the courtroom and asked Adam if Liza had told him what she'd learned. Adam wasn't in the mood to talk to Allie and told her that she should return to the hospital where she and Jake can plot to kill innocent patients. Allie asked Adam for two minutes of his time to explain---he gave her one. Allie told Adam all about her plot to get David to confess to administering the wrong medication in attempt to frame Jake. Adam didn't but it at first, but slowly all the pieces fell together---the video camera, the peculiar actions by Liza and Scott. One thing that didn't make sense was why Stuart was enlisted to play victim to a sociopath. Allie explained that Stuart was never at risk of being harmed and that had Adam been told about David's plan he would have ruined everything. Adam didn't argue that point and seemed mildly pleased that his reputation was still intact. As for Stuart and Marian, Allie informed Adam that Stuart had taken some tranquilizers and that the incident took place after everyone had left. No one would have knowingly allowed Marian to put the moves on Stuart. Suddenly Adam realized what a horrible mistake he'd made in judging Liza.

Brooke returned home with a grim look on her face. Phoebe had been calling around town trying to find Edmund, but she'd had no luck. Brooke handed her aunt a couple of papers. Phoebe didn't have her reading glasses and asked Brooke to explain the documents for her. Brooke told her that she'd found to insurance policies in Jim's office----one on her life and one on Edmund's. In the event of either of their deaths, Jim would stand to inherit several million dollars. While it might have seemed incriminating, Brooke explained that Jim could always argue that he was protecting his ownership in Tempo by taking out policies in his partners. Phoebe banged the papers against the table and told Brooke to "wake up." The insurance policies, she snarled, were bounties on Edmund and Brooke's heads.

Back at the courtroom, Liza looked in a mirror and adjusted her makeup. The door slowly opened and Camille walked inside. Liza was out of view from the door, otherwise Camille would never have entered. Liza recognized the woman from the sketch Tad had showed her. She grabbed Camille's arm and demanded to know why she was trying to make Adam go crazy. Camille first tried to pretend that she was looking for the ladies' room and had no idea what Liza was talking about. When that didn't work, she professed that she wasn't haunting Adam---she was just playing a practical joke. Camille said that Liza should be happy that she's toying with Adam since she's filing for divorce from him. Liza quickly explained that one of the reasons she and Adam are divorcing is because Adam believes that she hired Camille to scare him. Camille was peeved that her plan to get Adam to confess had been taken all wrong by her victim. Camille didn't like listening to Liza's praise for Adam and told Liza that she didn't know anything about Adam. Adam, she snapped, was a cold-blooded killer. Liza objected and told Camille that she was mistaken. As the two women bickered back and forth, Adam entered the room and saw them fraternizing.

If you recall Kelsey arrived in Pine Valley with little fanfare. She tried to runaway from home to hide the fact that she was pregnant. Kelsey planned on leaving town the same way---uh, minus the pregnancy. With her bags in tow, Kelsey tiptoed down the steps of her grandparents' house and headed for the front door.. Ruth, who'd been baking some tarts, caught Kelsey in the act and halted the exodus. Kelsey explained that she was leaving the bad karma she'd encountered in Pine Valley and returning to Oregon. Ruth begged Kelsey to sit down and explain what was bothering her, but Kelsey insisted that she was leaving. Ryan arrived just in time to run interference. Ruth had no idea who Ryan was, but she intuitively knew that he might be able to talk Kelsey out of running away. She was right. Kelsey whined that her life had come to a crashing halt when Scott rejected her exclamation of affection for him. Ryan wasn't surprised to learn that Scott blames Kelsey for Gillian's problems nor was he shocked to hear that Scott really doesn't love Gillian. Ryan urged Kelsey not to throw in the towel and that her current troubles could lead to a best seller somewhere down the road. By the end of their conversation, Kelsey was able to laugh at her own folly and agreed to stay in town.

As expected, Adam tore into Liza for lying to him about "the mystery woman." Adam completely disregarded Liza's insistence that she'd never met the woman until only a few moments prior to his arrival. Adam turned and grabbed Camille by the arm. He shook her violently and demanded an explanation for her cruel games. Adam's brutal confrontation bolstered Camille's belief that Adam bludgeoned her mother to death. Camille managed to wiggle free of Adam's grasp and escaped. Liza ordered her husband to stay put and work out their problems. Adam praised his soon-to-be ex-wife's "hocus pocus" and asked her to tell him how she'd learned about Joy. Liza explained that she only recognized the woman because of a sketch Tad had shown her. Liza lost her composure as the frustration built inside her. She asked Adam if he is able to look at her and "see the enemy." Adam was silent, unable to respond. Liza told him that for many months she had looked at him and seen the enemy---she'd blamed him for her baby's death. She was wrong. Liza begged Adam to put the hurt and blame aside and to attempt rebuild their marriage. Adam couldn't foresee a future with Liza if she continued to lie to him. Liza again insisted that she did not hire "Joy" to gaslight Adam, but Adam still didn't believe her. Adam argued that Liza was only denying her involvement with the faux Joy because she'd been caught red-handed. Now, he continued, she was attempting to patch up her marriage so that she could file for more money at a later date. Liza noted that she'd been offered a huge settlement before---enough to live comfortably for many years---and refused it. Adam felt that Liza wasn't trying to be honorable, she was merely being greedy and waiting for a larger piece of the rock. Belinda entered the room and told Liza that she'd faced a contempt charge if she didn't return to the courtroom. She offered to ask for another recess, a dismissal, or a continuance---anything that she wanted. Liza looked at Adam and firmly stated that she wants to remain married to Adam. Adam said nothing and walked away.

In the hallway outside the courtroom, Allie subtly urged Stuart to come clean about sleeping with Marian. She called Stuart an "honorable man" who always owns up to his wrong doings. After Allie left to rejoin the courtroom audience, Stuart bumped into Camille. Unlike Adam, Stuart knew exactly who the woman was, well sort of. He knew that she was Joy's daughter and told her how much she reminded him of Joy. Everything about Camille---her eyes, her voice---resembled Joy. Camille was also familiar with Stuart, calling him "the good brother." Stuart told Camille that Joy had never told him about her because "things got bad" and Joy wanted to protect her young daughter. Camille seemed repulsed by the disclaimer that things had gotten "bad." She wondered how Stuart could look his brother in the face without feeling an overwhelming sense of disgust. Stuart assured Camille that Adam wasn't entirely bad, but Camille didn't want to hear it. She told Stuart that she felt sorry for him and walked away without saying another word.

Janet showed up at Trevor's toting a letter from her estranged mother. Trevor tried to pretend that he knew nothing about the letter, but he couldn't play dumb for long. The letter contained a paragraph referencing Trevor's inquiries about Axel. Janet knew that Trevor had contacted Wilma in an attempt to stir up trouble, but Trevor insisted that he only wanted to keep the lines of communication open between Amanda and her only living grandparent. Wilma didn't let her several thousand mile distance from her daughter prevent her from getting in a few critical jabs. Wilma told Janet that she should not expect her reconstructed face to land her a man. In fact, Janet should not expect anyone to love her and she was urged to spend every waking moment thanking God that she was not on death row. Trevor snatched the letter away from Janet and read every line---including parts that Janet didn't want him to see. Wilma stated that Axel was a scrap metal worker in the Harrisburg area. That greatly contradicted the story Janet had concocted about Axel being a traveling salesman. Janet quickly explained that Wilma was out of the loop and had not been informed of Axel's change of occupation. Amanda and Tim arrived home from school and Amanda overheard Janet's references to her mother's nasty letter. Amanda asked Janet why her mom hated her so much. Janet was diplomatic and replied that she and her mother had different needs and that they were unable to fulfill each other's needs. Trevor and Tim left the two talk in private. Later, Janet had to run to a teacher conference. Tim returned downstairs and told Amanda that he knows that Janet still loves their dad. Tim blamed himself for ruining their romance and knew that nothing he could say would repair the damage. Amanda wanted to write a letter to Axel and tell him how much her mother loved her father. She hoped that the letter would make Axel back off. Tim decided that they could reap faster results by sending Email. Using the scrap metal company's name, Tim managed to locate the real Axel Green's Email address and he and Amanda sent a letter to him.

Janet arrived at the elementary school and waited patiently for Amanda's teacher. A few moments later, Trevor also arrived.

Back in the courtroom, the judge was furious with Liza's delay and asked her if she'd made up her mind on what she wanted to do. Liza spoke over Belinda's request for a continuance, stating that she wanted to remain married. Adam jumped to his feet and proclaimed that he wanted a divorce---immediately. The judge reminded Liza that she'd cited mental cruelty as the reason for her divorce petition. Liza said that things had changed. Adam was furious and fumbled around in his briefcase looking for something. He lunged towards the bench and announced that he proof that he was a horrible husband. With that he waved a manila envelope containing the photos of Marian and Stuart in bed together. Adam proudly announced that he had had an adulterous affair with his mother-in-law. The crowd of spectators gasped. Marian, on the other hand, smiled broadly. Liza told the judge that Adam was trying to mislead her. Marian jumped to her feet and said that it was true that she and Adam had slept together. Liza turned around and flashed her mother an evil glance. Stuart entered the courtroom unaware of what was going on. Adam was enraged that the judge didn't believe his statement and asked her of he needed to fornicate in front of her to prove himself. Stuart tired of the arguing and yelled for quiet. He approached the bench and told his brother that it was wrong to lie in a court of law. Adam ordered Stuart to keep quiet, but Stuart ignored his brother's command. He told the judge that Adam was not present the night of the "affair." He explained that many people confuse him and his brother---they are twins after all. The man in the pictures, he said awkwardly, wasn't Adam---it was him. Adam gritted his teeth and mumbled under his breath. Opal's eyes bulged. But Marian, unsuspecting Marian, was the one whose face exhibited the most shock.

To Marian it seemed highly improbable that Stuart had been the one who'd wowed her in bed. She shouted that Stuart was lying, prompting a quick admonishment from the judge. Adam told Stuart that he forbid him to speak. The judge warned Adam that he'd face a contempt charge if he didn't stop interrupting. Stuart explained that people often mistake him for his brother because they look alike. It might have been an obvious point, but it was needed to explain what went on. Adam chimed in that his saint of a brother was trying to protect him. That caused Liza to blurt out that Adam was lying. Softly, Stuart told the judge that it wasn't Marian's fault that she mistook him for Adam. After all, he'd been pretending to be Adam. Marian leapt from her seat and approached Stuart. She argued that the man she'd slept with had taken her to the heights of ecstasy. Stuart smiled bashfully and asked Marian if she remembered how he nibbled on her earlobes, the sole ticklish spot on her body. Marian realized that Stuart must have been telling the truth and fainted dead away into his arms. Allie and a security guard raced over to Marian and roused her with some smelling salts. Marian was escorted out of the room so that she could get some fresh air. The judge was peeved by the latest interruption and issued a stern warning to both parties: figure out whether there's going to be a divorce or not and do it in twenty minutes. If this wasn't done, the judge said that everyone---lawyers and all---would be spending the night in jail.

At Amanda's school, Janet hadn't anticipated Trevor making an appearance. Granted it was natural for Amanda's father to want to be there, but somehow Janet failed to see it as a possibility. Soon the placidity of the moment was ruined when Janet and Trevor began bickering over how to handle their "separation." Amanda had just gotten used to the idea of having her mother and father together when Axel entered the picture. Janet yelled at Trevor for not making an effort to smooth things over with their daughter. The Teacher, Mrs. Overby, entered the room and readied for the conference. She told Amanda's parents that Amanda is an exceptional student, testing several grade levels ahead in most of her areas of study. She was, however, disruptive in class and she blamed that on Janet's influence. Trevor stepped in to defend Janet, saying that Janet is an excellent mother. Perhaps, Trevor suggested, Amanda's behavior has been brought on by boredom or lack of a challenge. He asked the teacher to speak to the guidance counselors and see if it was possible for Amanda to be placed in accelerated classes. The teacher left to meet with the counselor allowing Janet an opportunity to thank Trevor for sticking up for her. A few moments later, Mrs. Overby returned with a message that Amanda's future stepfather was wandering the halls. Axel popped into the room and apologized for being late. Janet asked him to wait in the hall. She told Trevor that he doesn't have to worry about Axel becoming a father to Amanda because no one can take Trevor's place. Trevor smiled broadly and responded that he's been trying to tell Janet that for several months. Mrs. Overby told Trevor that Amanda would be given tests to determine if she should be in the accelerated programs. The conference was over, but not the performance. Axel burst into the room and apologized to Janet for showing up so unexpectedly. He felt that it was necessary to make an impromptu appearance so that their relationship would look legitimate.

About two hours away in Harrisburg, the real Axel Green received the Email message from Amanda. He knew nothing about Janet's supposed reunion with him. He also hadn't seen Janet's picture since her cosmetic surgery. One look at the attached photo and he was bowled over.

Hayley tried to rouse Mateo from his coma with perfume, stories, and even a kiss. Nothing worked. She was so frustrated that she began smashing assorted objects in the room. She broke down in tears as she vented her anger at the ailment that had taken her husband prison. She suddenly began chuckling as she realized how foolish she must have looked---and how much she resembled her often over-the-top father. Hayley promised God that she'd ditch her temper if Mateo were returned to her. She took Mateo's hand and begged him to squeeze her hand. Several requests failed... on the third or fourth try, Mateo's hand twitched slightly. She asked him to try it again to make sure that it wasn't a muscle spasm. For a second time, Mateo gently squeezed her hand. Hayley rested her head on Mateo's chest as tears flooded her eyes.

Back at the courthouse, a bewildered Marian tried to sort things out. She told her newest friend, Opal, that it wasn't like Stuart to lie about sleeping with her. By that she meant that Stuart would have told her it was him before things got so heated. Opal quickly noted that it wasn't exactly honest for Marian to be snapping secret photos of the tryst. Stuart entered the room and Opal cleared out so that Marian and Stuart could talk. Marian seemed upset by the revelation and Stuart wanted to assure her that he'd had a good time with her. He bowed his head and quietly told Marian that she did too. Marian apologized for hurting Stuart, but Stuart assured her that she didn't hurt him. He flashed a slight smiled and bid Marian farewell. Marian, out of breath and still as dazed as before, plopped into a chair and tried to figure out what to do.

Adam and Liza went against their attorneys' wishes and had another private chat. Liza started off her comment by reminded Adam that it isn't easy to get along with either one of them. She again asked Adam for a chance to start over, and again her request was denied. Adam scribbled something down on a notepad while he chattered back and forth with his wife. His biggest gripe was Liza's secret ties to the Joy look-alike. Liza couldn't believe that this other woman was a higher priority than their marriage. Adam said that it wasn't true that Joy was more important. Liza realized that they had two choices: split up or try to work out their differences. Liza asked Adam what he wanted her to do, but Adam told her that he didn't want to be accused of pressuring her into a decision. Separation, Liza sighed, is much like falling in love; One cannot let their emotions get in the way of rational thought. Adam agreed and spoke of their feelings for each other. Each of his carefully crafted references was in the past tense indicating that these feelings were no more. He handed Liza his notepad on it was a carefully crafted settlement offer. He'd signed his name and told Liza that she was only a signature away from being a free woman. Liza asked Adam if he wanted a divorce. He gave her no response. She asked him to tell her that he knows that she wasn't out of his money. Finally Adam admitted that he'd been wrong and assured Liza that he knew she wasn't out to hit him in his wallet. Liza took the notepad and signed on the dotted line. Adam rounded up the two lawyers and told them that the divorce was a done deal.

In the hallway, Stuart was disappointed to learn that the divorce had gone through. Stuart commented that Liza didn't want a divorce. Why then, Adam asked, did Liza sign the agreement? Stuart sighed and realized what his brother was up to---it was another of his harebrained "tests." Adam explained that no one forced Liza to sign the agreement and added that Liza would never have agreed to the divorce if she wanted to remain married.

Inside the courtroom, Belinda asked Liza if she was sure that she wanted to finalize the divorce. Liza never admitted that she wanted it, saying only that the divorce was "what's possible." What's not possible, though, might have been more important that what was possible. It was evident that Liza was heartbroken by the separation. The parties gathered in court and were informed that the judge had accepted the petition for divorce. Adam's terms were more than generous, and he received a stern lecture from his attorney for giving Liza too much. Liza slipped her wedding ring off of her finger and placed it on the table. She turned and walked away. It wasn't until Adam sat alone in the courtroom that he saw the ring.

An urgent telephone call lured Dimitri to Brooke's home. There a frantic Brooke told Dimitri that Edmund never returned from his visit to the prison in Rahway, New Jersey. Dimitri had also not heard from Edmund, but he hinted that it wasn't unusual for several days to pass without hearing from his brother. Brooke informed Dimitri that she's taken it upon herself to contact hospitals between Rahway and Pine Valley to see if Edmund had been in an accident. No one had seen or heard from him. Well, someone had apparently left a message at Wildwind posing as Edmund and stating that he wouldn't be back for a few days. Brooke knew that Edmund hadn't left the message and decided that she'd go to the prison to talk to Judy Morton. Dimitri offered her use of his private helicopter.

Across town at the Chandler Mansion, Jake and Isabella arrived to check on Mateo's condition. Hayley urged Isabella to ask Mateo to squeeze her hand. Like the night before, Mateo's hand twitched. Jake was perplexed by the change and gave Mateo a thorough examination to determine just how much progress Mateo had made. After several tests---a light and pain response test---Jake broke the bad news to Hayley: Mateo was not emerging from his coma. Hayley pointed out that Joe had told her that movement would signal that Mateo might be coming out of the coma. Jake concurred with his father's diagnosis, but explained that Mateo's movement was involuntary, not voluntary, movement. Hayley covered her ears and refused to hear Jake's recitation of medical statistics on comatose patients. Isabella tried her best to calm her daughter-in-law down and even asked Jake if he could prescribe Hayley some sedatives. Isabella assured Hayley that she believed that Mateo was going to come back to them, but she was concerned that Hayley might suffer a breakdown. Later after Jake and Mama Santos left, Mateo had another of his "visions." This time from outside the fire escape outside his apartment, he saw himself and Hayley in an intimate moment. He watched as Hayley asked "Mateo" to remove her scarf and look for a present. He did and saw that his wife had gotten a rose tattooed on her shoulder. Hayley acted quite peculiarly and told Mateo that the beautiful red tattoo wasn't permanent. Then for no reason the tattoo began oozing blood much like the telephone Mateo had seen in a previous dream. Hayley then walked across the bedroom and turned on the radio. Frenzied heavy metal music blasted through the apartment as Hayley danced out of control. Mateo number two knew that his wife's erratic behavior had been induced by her new tattoo. He asked her to stop dancing, but she couldn't stop. Finally she collapsed to the ground out of exhaustion. Back in the real world, Hayley flipped through a fashion magazine and saw a model with a rose tattoo on her arm. Hayley told Mateo that she might get a second tattoo since no one ever gets to see the tattoo on her ankle. Mateo's breathing grew labored, almost as if he was responding to Hayley's announcement.

At Linden House, Erica prepared to say goodbye to her daughter. Bianca was headed for a treatment center in New York and while Erica knew that this was best for her child, she couldn't help but cry over Bianca's impending departure. Erica gave Bianca several gifts to take to the center including some new clothing and green nail polish. Jack and Barbara arrived for the farewell party with Travis conspicuous by his absence. While Bianca was showing off her oddly colored nail polish, Erica blasted Barbara for allowing Travis to miss his daughter's farewell party. Barbara warned Erica about the dangers of jumping to conclusions. Later when the party was in full swing, Jack overheard Jake briefing Allie on Mateo's condition. Jack took special note and began probing Allie's knowledge of medical procedure. Allie became extremely nervous and asked Jake if it was possible that Jack knew about her transcript fraud. Jake shrugged it off as curiosity, but Allie decided that she'd steer clear of the District Attorney just in case. Dimitri arrived at the party and spoke to Peggy, who's been recruited to make some corned beef hash for Bianca. Dimitri asked about Edmund's call to Wildwind. Peggy explained that the groundskeeper had taken the call and that no one else had actually spoken to Edmund. Dimitri knew that something was amiss, but didn't let on to Peggy. Bianca promised Myrtle that she would never turn into "the human skeleton." The party wound down without even a phone call from Travis. Erica remained furious and got madder by the minute. Finally after everyone had left, Travis showed up. He told Erica that he'd stopped by the courthouse to talk to a judge. Erica tore into her ex-husband for attempting to block Bianca's treatment. In a matter of a few seconds Erica would go from angry to embarrassed. Travis explained that his visit to the local court was not to fight Erica, but rather to stop fighting with her. He had a new custody agreement drawn up in which Erica would be given joint custody of Bianca. This meant that years of squabbling would come to an end. Travis realized that he'd sued for sole custody of Bianca as a way to punish Erica---he never thought that his plan would end up punishing Bianca. Erica thanked Travis for the gesture and with only minutes left before Bianca was to head out to door, presented Bianca with a final gift: a set of pagers. The pagers were hooked up to a satellite system that would allow the to always have a way of getting in touch with each other. Erica fought back the tears as Bianca gathered her things. She'd promised Bianca that she wouldn't cry, but it wasn't that easy. Before leaving, Bianca gave her mom and Jack's wedding plans a "thumbs up," saying that she now realized that the marriage was a good thing. She also agreed to be her mother's bridesmaid/maid-of-honor. Dr. Erle agreed to take Bianca to the clinic so that she could brief the new doctors on Bianca's history. Erica wanted to go, but respected Bianca's request that she remain in Pine Valley.

At the Rahway prison, Brooke met with the warden to discuss the possibility of speaking with Judy Morton. The warden was unreceptive and asked Brooke why the media was suddenly so interested in Ms. Morton. Not wanting to sound overly dramatic, Brooke told him that it was a matter of life and death. The warden agreed to let Brooke speak with Judy. He placed a call to the cellblock and asked that Judy be taken to the visiting area. Judy wasn't going to be speaking to Brooke that day---or any other day. For that matter, she wasn't going to be speaking to anyone. Early that morning, Judy got into a fight with another inmate and was stabbed to death. Judy hadn't made any enemies in the penitentiary and Brooke found it odd that she'd suddenly ended up dead. Brooke asked if she could use the phone and placed a call to Edmund. In the background, the familiar chirping of a cellphone sounded. The warden searched for the source of the sound for only a few seconds before realizing that the ringing was emanating from the lost and found box. Brooke hung up the phone and the cellphone stopped ringing. She knew instantly that the phone belonged to Edmund. The warden told her that a guard had found the phone in the parking lot. Brooke flew back to Pine Valley and told Dimitri that Judy Morton had been killed. Dimitri told her that prison riots happen all the time and that she shouldn't read too much into Judy's untimely demise. Brooke showed Dimitri the cellphone and suddenly they both realized that Edmund was in serious trouble.

Edmund continued to struggle to get free, but it did him no good. Jim dropped by to taunt Edmund and to offer him some food. It seemed like the ultimate paradox: Jim wanted Edmund to die, but he was there to offer him nourishment. Jim made repeated comments about Edmund's destiny to be reunited with Maria. "She's been swimming with the fishes long enough," Jim cackled. Edmund had maintained his composure up until that point, but he couldn't bear to hear Jim mocking his late wife. Edmund commented that he'd never believed in capital punishment---but now that he's met Jim he's decided that the death penalty isn't such a bad thing. Jim laughed in Edmund's face and told him that he'd never be caught. Edmund made a snide remark about Jim's need to put others down so that he can feel like man. He then insinuated that Jim's inferiority complex led to his career in kiddie porn. Jim didn't like the comment and began to slowly strangle the life out of Edmund.

Erica received another visit from Ryan. He informed her that the ad campaign was moving on track. He also let it be known that a world-renowned photographer had almost signed on to shoot the new ads. Erica wondered if Ryan was trying to drop another hint about needing some up-front cash. He grinned and accepted another five hundred dollar advance. After Ryan had left, Erica shook her head slowly from side to side. She called Ryan a "greedy louse" and promised to take both Ryan and Liza down.

At WRCW, Liza interrupted Scott and Gillian's wedding plans. Gillian searched frantically for a wedding gown while Scott tried to pretend that he was a willing participant in the sham. Liza did not approve of Scott's involvement with Gillian, but she didn't want to ruffle any feathers. Gillian poured on an extra helping of sweetness as she fawned over Scott and attempted to make Liza believe that she and Scott were deeply in love. The routine last for only a few moments while Liza was in the room because as soon as she left, Scott blew his top. He told Gillian that he doesn't want to talk about wedding and made it clear that he was only marrying her so that she could remain in the country. He stormed out of the office leaving Gillian and her wedding guide alone. Gillian was only alone for a few moments. When Ryan showed up, he was less than pleased to see Gillian cramping his space. Gillian wasn't too thrilled to see Ryan either--at least this is what they wanted to other to think. Gillian loudly flipped the pages of her magazine. Ryan tried to silence her, but she continued the distraction. Both daydreamed about their night in the hunting lodge even while pretending to be cold towards one another.

Edmund encouraged Jim to kill him. Jim almost bowed to Edmund's request, but he quickly removed his hands from Edmund's neck and took a few steps back. He explained that he didn't want Edmund to have a quick death. He wanted the death to be slow, painful, and natural. A natural death would allow him to collect on the insurance policy he'd taken out on Edmund's life. Jim enjoyed toying with Edmund. He told Edmund that he must do him a favor. When Edmund refused, Jim warned Edmund that if he didn't assist him, Brooke would go from "blushing bride" to "a clammy corpse." Edmund was also instructed not to give any hints about his whereabouts or what had happened to him. Edmund told Jim that someone would get suspicious of his disappearance and start looking for him. Jim laughed and told Edmund that no one will care that Edmund disappeared and that when his body washes up on a distant shore it'll appear that Edmund took his own life.

At Holidays, Kelsey told Kevin that she was having second thoughts about agreeing to stay in Pine Valley. Kevin didn't see why Kelsey was so upset about her admission of love. Kelsey flipped out when Scott entered the restaurant and begged Kevin to get rid of Scott. While Kelsey hid behind the bar, Kevin walked over to Scott and asked if he could take his order. Scott wasn't looking for a burger... he wanted some advice. Kevin sat down with his friend and told him about his problems with Kelsey. Kevin told Scott that he knew about Kelsey's feelings for Scott. Scott admitted that he often thinks about Kelsey, but added that he doesn't know what to do now that he's slated to marry Gillian in a few weeks. Kelsey got nervous and knocked over some dishes. Kevin heard the racket and dragged Kelsey out of hiding and ordered her to speak to Scott. Kelsey sat down with Scott and nonchalantly told him that she only loves him "like a friend" and that she doesn't have "L-O-V-E with the Big L" feelings for him. Scott seemed puzzled by Kelsey's bizarre behavior. In her attempt to dig herself out of a hole, Kelsey had been unintentionally hurtful to her friend. Kevin couldn't take any more of the dance routine and interjected himself into the conversation. HE told the pair that he'd grown tired of their game of cat-and-mouse. He told Kelsey that Scott has feelings for her. He then told Scott that Kelsey's supposed friendship love was much deeper than it appeared.

Dimitri doubted that Jim could outmaneuver Edmund. Brooke showed Dimitri the insurance policies that Jim had taken out on her and Edmund. Phoebe wheeled into the room and echoed Dimitri's sentiment, pointing out that Edmund had covered foreign wars without so much as a scratch. There was no way that Edmund could fall victim to Jim. When the phone rang, Brooke was relieved to hear Edmund's voice on the other end. Brooke knew from the way that Edmund spoke that something wasn't quite right. Edmund told Brooke that he won't be calling her because he was going into "deep cover." He asked her to give his children a kiss for him. Brooke was worried by Edmund's grim words, but once he said that while undercover he'd be "as silent as the grave" she became even more concerned. The connection abruptly ended and Jim again warned Edmund that Brooke had better not start looking into his disappearance.

At WRCW, Erica barged into Liza's office and demanded to know how long Liza thinks that she can bilk her customers. Liza listened to Erica's wild accusations and advised her to take a urine test, a clear jab at Erica's drug addiction. Erica presented Liza with a list of companies that advertise on WRCW. Liza was unimpressed and noted that anyone who watches the channel can make a list of its advertisers. Erica continued her tirade, stating that Ryan Lavery had contacted each of the advertisers she listed and asked for one thousand dollars in kickbacks. Since kickbacks are illegal, Erica threatened to phone a friend at the FCC and tell him about WRCW's illegal activities. Liza still knew nothing about what Erica was referring to and asked her to leave the office. Erica agreed, but not before pointing out that WRCW could face a hefty fine, loss if its license, and criminal charges against station management. Liza compared Erica's list to Ryan's accounts---every one of Ryan's accounts were on Erica's list. Liza apologized to Erica for the misunderstanding and assured her that she'd get her thousand dollars back with interest. Erica smiled and replied that the money was the very least she'd expect. Erica left the office, but as she rounded the corner she tapped on the office window and smiled whimsically and tauntingly at Liza. Liza got on the phone and made a few calls. Then she summoned Ryan to her office and asked him to give her one good reason why she shouldn't send him to jail.

Back at Brooke's house, Dimitri went to his car and got a handgun for Brooke to use for self-defense. Both Brooke and Phoebe abhorred the idea of having a gun in the house. Phoebe wanted to call the authorities, but Dimitri quickly explained that alerting the police would only hasten Edmund's death. If Jim wanted Edmund dead, Dimitri said coolly, he would have killed him already. That meant that Jim must have another motive. Brooke agreed to keep the gun even though she'd previously spoken out against it. All were silenced when a key unlocked the front door. Laura burst into the house and begged Brooke to tell her that she had not accepted Jim's proposal. Dimitri knew that it was time for him to leave, so he slipped out the front door. Brooke asked Laura to explain why she's so against Jim, but Laura wouldn't offer any information. Brooke told her in confidence that she had no intention of marrying Jim---even if she tells Jim that she's going to marry him. Phoebe and Brooke continued to press for information on Laura's disdain for Mr. Thomasen. Laura stated that "the stuff that happened" no longer matters and she asked why is was such a high priority to get this information. Before any of the women could utter another word, Jim returned and asked "what have we got here?"

Back in the bioduct, Edmund struggled to get free but ultimately decided that he could never break his bonds. A voice told him that he shouldn't give up. Sitting across the chamber from Edmund was his late wife, Maria. Maria, filing her nails, told him that she'd been conjured up by his imagination. Maria told her husband that she's never known him to give up. More importantly, she assured him that he survive.